The corrupt way of life....

I am gravely dispappointed at our law enforcement. Be wary when you ask for help or assistance. Things might just turn and work against you. This is exactly what happened months ago when we filed a police alarm against the sedan that hit our car and sped off.

Weeks after this incident, we received a complaint for a different hit&run incident that same night. This one involving a "pedestrian" who was crossing the same road and accusing my husband of reckless imprudence resulting to injury. Yes, asking for the sum of twelve thousand pesos in return. Fabricated evidences, circumstances patched together and a bunch of cops pushing conclusions.

12K isn't much compared to lawyers fees and all the time-consuming court hearings. I was even advised by a friend to just pay out and it will go like everybody has amnesia. That's the reality of life in the RP setting. What?! It is apalling to condone this practice. Principle? Yes. I was raised by a family of fighters. I was surrounded by ideas of freedom and political struggles. My relatives fought against something more than just a group of corrupt policemen, but the whole government and the powers that be. Times changed, and some have grown tired of fighting for corruption and greed and simply imbibed it as way of life.

There is a thin line between poverty and greed. On a tight fix, people would grab on to any opportunity to be able to eat or live. At the same time, people with power and authority would grab any opportunity to their advantage like milking a golden cow for a pail of gold coins. Is 12k enough? No...To add insult to injury, the disadvantaged are wrongly accused, humiliated and judged for something they did not commit. But hey, It's easy to jump off to the other line and say, heck I don't earn enough as a cop to feed my kids. In our case, there's always something darker behind it probably more than just a case of corruption. It may pull us down to something deeper. But what do we hold on to? Our principle. The things we belive in. The truth.

Can't Do Without...

I can't do without my family. Can't do without the 2 Marc's in my life (Marco Fernando --nope not a Latino hunk & Marc Ethan). Can't do without my friends. Can't do without God and Faith. Can't do without Love (oh yeah!), Can't do without many things, some even too superficial. But aside from the most importatnt people & beliefs in life, there are still small suerpficial things that make make my life run in smooth operation.

1. My Sony Ericsson K500i. Simple phone, good enough camera & mp3 for my ringtones. It's cheap & yet has better features than it's Nokia counterpart. I know... it's time to upgrade. But so far, it serves its purpose.

2. Cherry Kiss Lip balm, gel foundation & Kohl eye pencil - A girl can't live without her makeup! 3 simple things that transforms a zombie-like complexion.

3. My 216x218mm Green Apple Notebook - It's not a fancy notebook with artsy hard covers & fillers. For 45 pesos, It's smooth & white enough to write all my daily reminders at work, notes and contact numbers. The neon green covers makes it easier to spot 10 feet away within a pile of papers & files on my desk.

4. Deodorant - Must I say why? It has always been a 'Secret' though.

5. Coffee in the morning. Doesn't matter whether it's brewed or instant.

6. Cable TV .... once you've experience cable, there's no going back...

7. Cocoa butter lotion - Smells like "latik", but it holds back nasty stretch marks. The cheaper ones from Lander can already work wonders.

8. Internet Connection. Used to be a priviledge. My first post paid connection was for P800 a month, 25 hours surfing time (+ 2 email addresses). My ISP, Quantum Internet. I'm hooked to the net all throughout my stay at the office. Nobody could function without the connection. Everybody is dependent on the emails, the system reports, the instant messaging services. It was the most convenient thing since the telephone.

8. My MP3s. Music moves, period. It may be U2, old 80's alternative (otherwise known as New Wave), The Clash, The Smiths, The Cure.

9. My 1995 Toyota Corolla GLi. My first car, my own car. It was my baby. Spent most of my savings in car accesories, new tires, the works. 55 series 16" Dunlops, Alpine stereo, 4 way speakers, viper security. Drove it to Baguio, up the demanding stretch of Kenon Road. Endless out of town trips. Nightouts with friends. Boy if this car could talk... it would reveal all my dirty secrets.

10. My new macbook. Yeeey! Finally! Thanks to my hubby, I have my own. Why a mac? Why not?

Elevator Blues Vol I.

Going to my office, I have to ride the elevator at least 10 times a week. From there you'll get to see the most exciting breed of people.

Call Center boys
guy1: Pare si Jason Webb tatakbo samin this election.
guy 2: Sheet pare, talaga. Daming barkadang goons yun.
guy 1: O nga pare. Pati si Roselle Nava, tatakbo din.
guy 2: Hahaha, talaga? E di iboboto mo yun?
guy 1: Hindi ah. Batukan ko pa yun.
chorus: hahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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A Staff and senior employee from a prestigious culinary & hotel management school in our building.
Girl: (complaining in megaphone mode from the lobby to the elevator)
" And I'm like, hello? Don't you know how to say it correctly? I mean, it's like, so elementary really. "
Senior Guy: "uhm"
Girl: "They're like stupid terms in her report I can't understand it. Like she's trying to be smart or what but she's not really.. like she's a graduate of what school.. it's Ivy something whatever.."
Senior Guy: Ivy League?
Girl: Yah something like that. Is that even a school?
Senior Guy: smirking & shaking head.
Me & all passengers: eyebrows raised / eyes rolling (like..duh!)
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More Call Center boys:
Guy1: Man, I'm sooo thin.
Guy2: O nga pare. You're what the girls call it..anorexit?
Guy 1: O yeah.
(e baka Bulimit...)

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Pregnant employee from multinational shipping company and her co-employees at lunch time:

Guy: May bago ka nanaman baby. Last year kaka 1st birthday lang ng panganay mo, may bunso ka nanaman.

Buntis: Aksidente nga ako eh. Ewan ba ko ano nangyari.

Guy: Ganon? Tinanong mo ba asawa mo?

Buntis: Oo, sa phone lang. 2 years na sya sa Dubai e.

(huh???!!)

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More Call center dudes:

Guy with headphones, singing to Devo's Whip It.

"So wiff et, wifet gowd!!"

Sows! Accent training pa pls